Furniture construction



June 26, i928., lhg

E. MORRIS ET A1.

FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 I Il'. Emuu Norma @Off Duff

www? E. MORRIS ET AL FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 9, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 my@ Patented .lune 26, 1928.

NlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND MORRIS AN D ANTHONY SIGNORS TO GRAND RAPIDS STORE EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION.

Application illed January 9, 1928. Serial No. 245,295.

'lhis invention relates to a store furniture construction of simple design which V1s readily shipped in knockdown form and may Jbe assembled or disassembled very quickly and easily whenever required. The invention relates to a frame work of knockdown form which may be used to support shelves or which is likewise readily adapted for the installation of sectional units therewith which', when completed, appear with said framework to constitute a solid bullt construction of attractive design.

The construction embodying our invention is fully described in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspectlve view illustrating the essential members of the store furniture frame construction.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section substantially on the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the method of attaching the upper cornices of the frame to the front vertical posts of the division members. n

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical, transverse section substantially on the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective of the connecting plates, a pluralityof which are used in the construction.

liike reference characters refer to like parts in the di'erent ligures of the drawmes.

In the construction of the knockdown frame which is used to either support shelving or with which sections of sectional units are installed, division members are made use of each including a front post 1, a rear post 2 spaced therefrom and upper and lower connecting rails 3 whereby the division member is of rectangular form as shown. The 'front post 1 at its front edge is reduced in thickness thereby providing a forwardly extending tongue 1a which extends the full -length of the post for a purpose which will hereafter appear. i

At each side of the front post 1 of each division member and at both upper 4and lower ends flat metal plates 4 are located and secured to the post by means of screws or equivalent fastenlng devices. The plates 4 at their front edges are each provided with two hooks 5 which are located a short distance in front of the l'ront edge of the tongue 1n on the post. 1t is therefore, apparent that two pairs of the plates 4 are secured to each post l., one pair adjacent the upper end of the post and the other near the lower end thereof as l'nlly shown in Fig. l.

Lower and upper horizontal rails 6 and 7 are used as spacing and connecting bars between the upper and lower ends of any two spaced apart division members. "lhe upper rail 7 has a cornice 8 secured at its front side, the ends of which terminate a distance back from the ends of the rail 7. Each of the rails 6 and 7 at each end and at its inner side has a vertical groove 9 cut therein. On the inner or rear side of each of the rails (3 and 7 a plate 10 of metal is.

permanently secured in which two slots 11, of the form shown in Fig. 5 are cut, said slots being located directly back of the vertical grooves 9 in therails 6 and 7. It is evident that the rails may be connected to the division members, the hooks 5 passlng into the slots ll, and that a very secure and satisfactory yet detachable connection of the parts made in this manner. In Fig. 1 a lower rail 6 and an upper rail 7 is indicated as attached at one end to one side of the division shown while the upper rail 7 is shown disconnected at the opposite side likewise the lower rail 6, in dotted outline, is shown disconnected adacent the lower end of the division mem- When a plurality of the division members and upper and lower rails 6 and 7 have been VANDERVELD, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, AS-

Ill

secured together, a supporting framework is p provided on which shelves may be carried, suitable horizontal bar shelf supports being attached to the sides of the posts l and 2. Likewise the shelves may be not used but store furniture sections located in superimposed relation with respect to each other lnay be placed between any two spaced apart Kdivision members; or in the assembly there may be part shelves and part sections. It is necessary however, to complete the structure to apply a front linishingand reinforcing post or pilaster to the front edge of each post 1. Said pilaster, indicated at 12, at the rear side is grooved making spaced apart rearwardly extending flanges 13 which pass one to each side of the tongue lu to which between the upper edges of the lower rails 6 and the lower edges of the upper rails 7 but has a foot member 14 secured at its lower end to lie over the adjacent end portions of the lower rails 6, and an upper cornice member 15 secured to its upper end to lie between the adjacent ends ot' the cornices 8 on any two adjacent upper rails 7. j

The tongue l at the front edge of the post l may be cut away near the lower edge of the post, and a bolt 16 is passed through the plates 4: at the lower end of the post and is tightened after the assembly of the parts as described, thereby snug drawing all of the parts together at the 'lower end of the frame structure. 'lhe structure for securing and binding the posts together at the upper end is different. A hole 17 is morticed in the upper side of each cornice 8 a short distance from its end and a slot 18 cut therefrom to the end of the cornice. lhe two slots 18 in any two adjacent'cornices 8 aline with a similar slot or groove 19 cut in the upper end of the part 15 attached to the pilaster. A bolt 20 lies in the slots or grooves 18 or 19 and has nuts at its ends received in the mortices 17 which may be tightened for thecpurpose of securely binding the parts together.

llheconstruction described, as is evident, is oit simple and economical design, one which canbe readily assembled and disassembled and which when assembled Iis of a strong and rigid nature providing a frame interchangeable in use for either supporting shelves or for assembling store furniture sections therewith. The construction is very practical and has proved its value in service. rlhe invention is delined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within the scope thereof.

We claim: j

1. A construction of the class described comprising, a vertical front post, plates attached one at each side of and adjacent both the upper and lower ends of said post and extending in front thereof, base rails located horizontally in front of and at right angles to said post in alinement with .each other having ends substantially abutting, means l for detachably connecting said base rails to the plates at the lower end of the post, upper rails extending horizontall at right angles to said post and having a jacent ends substantially abutting, means for detachably er plates on said post, and a pilaster detachably connected to and at the front of said post overlapping the adjacent ends of said upper and lower rails.

2. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 1, combined with securing means passing through the lower plates on said post, said means being nemers adapted to draw the projecting portions of said plates in front of the post toward each other and the adjacent ends olE said lower rails into abutting contact.

3. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim l, combined with coruices attached to said upper rails between which the upper end of said pilaster extends, and means detachably engaged with the adjacent ends of said cornices to draw the saine and attached upper rails toward each other and bind the ends ol' said cornices against the sides of the adjacent upper portion oi' said pilaster,

4. In a construction of the class described,

a vertical post having a vertical tongue of reduced thickness at its front edge, means .for detachably connecting upper and lower horizontal rails to said post, said rails being located in alinement and extending in opposite directions from the post, and a pilaster having agroove in its rea-r side to lit over and engage with said tongue on the post, said pilaster at its upper and lower ends overlapping the adjacent abutting ends of said upper and lower rails.

5. A construction of the class described, comprising a vertical post, a plate attached at each side of and at both the upper and lower ends of said post, said plates at their front edges extending beyond the front edge of the post and each `having an upwardly extending hook, uplper and lower rails located horizontally in a inement and with adjacent ends substantially abutting, each of said rails at its rear side having a vertical groove therein adjacent the end thereof, a slotted plate secured to the rear side of each rail over said groove, whereby the hooks on said first mentioned plates may engage in the slots of the second mentioned plates, and a pilaster connected to the front edge of said post and having upper and lower end p0rtioilis overlapping the abutting ends of ysaid rai s.

6. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 5, combined with detachable means for drawing said upper and lower rails toward each other and into abutting contact with each other, for the purposes described.

7. In a )construction of the class described, I

a vertical post, flat plates of metal attached one at each side of and adjacent both the upper and lower ends of said post, each of said plates at its front edge extending beyond the front edge oi' the post, two upper' and two lower rails located horizontally in alinement at the upper and lower ends of the post with adjacent ends in substantial abutting engagement, other plates attached to the rear sides of said rails adjacent-the abutting ends thereof, and means on said first and second mentioned plates for detachably connecting the same together and i, @More securing said rails to said post in horizontal alinement with each other.

8. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 7, combined with a pilaster detachably engaging with the front edge of said post and having upper and lower ends overlapping on and; covering the meeting ends of said rails.

9. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 7, combined with a pilaster connected with and located\ in front of said post, said pilaster having a lower end portion covering the meeting ends of said lower rails, eornices attached at the front sides on? said upper rails, en upper i5 member attached at the upper end of said pilaster lying between said cornices, means, detachably engaged with said cornices and engaging over said upper end portion of the pilaster for drawing the ends of said cornices against said upper end portion of the pilaster, and a bolt extending through the lower plate for drawing the adjacent ends of said lower rails against each other.,l

lin testimony whereof we a our si- 25 tures.

' El) MORRIS.

ANTHONY VANDERVELD. 

